Finance Minister Trevor Manuel is among 11 Cabinet ministers and three deputy ministers who have resigned.

President Thabo Mbeki had received their letters of resignation, “which, regretfully, he has had to accept”, the Presidency said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Cabinet members who have resigned include Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who earlier in the day announced her decision to leave her position, to which she was appointed after African National Congress president Jacob Zuma was released from his responsibilities as deputy president in 2005. Read More…

IMKE VAN HOORN
Award-winning cartoonist Zapiro is in the firing line over a controversial cartoon that appeared in this week’s Sunday Times.

The drawing shows African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma unbuckling his belt in front of a woman who is being held down by leaders of the ANC, the South African Communist Party (SACP), the ANC Youth League and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).

The woman in the cartoon represents the justice system, so identified by a banner across her body — implying that Zuma, together with the ANC and its alliance partners, is “raping” the judicial system.

Zuma is currently facing corruption charges, though he has challenged the decision to charge him. Some of his supporters in the tripartite alliance insist the charges are part of a political plot to smear Zuma’s name.

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